It’s significant to note the reaction of successful people when faced with circumstances that would have caused most of us to lose hope.

Steve Jobs was fired publicly by Apple’s John Scully—the man he’d personally brought in as CEO. Why? Because he was harming Apple. Jobs returned years later, when Apple was on the brink of disaster, guiding it to the company we know today. Years later, Scully called Steve Jobs: “The greatest CEO.”

If Walt Disney had listened to his former newspaper editor who advised him: “You lack imagination and have no good ideas,” none of us would have the Disney experience adding magic dust to our childhood.

Elvis Presley heard: “You ain’t going nowhere, son. You ought to go back to driving a truck.” This remark came after his first performance at the Grande Ole Opry.

You may want to ask yourself:
How Comfortable Are You Outside Your “Comfort Zone?” If you’re on course to your future hopes and dreams, you’ll have to be doing things you’ve never done before. Marshall Goldsmith recognizes the magnitude of this concept in his book: “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.” So, when offered a prospect, are you assessing it through you “already knowing abilities” or the “stretch opportunity” provided by the project? If you’re playing small—inside your comfort zone—know you’re chances of achieving your dreams are not high.

Are You Preparing For Greatness? It is sad to say you habitually cut yourself off from any chance of success by your thoughts. What you ruminate on becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Managing your internal thinking is the secret for achieving a breakthrough that propels you into your future. As negativity enters your brain, counter it with a vision of the rewarding, fun passage you’re experiencing and the celebration you’ll feel as you arrive at your destination.

Are You Leaving Out An Important Component? It’s all well and good to be driving for results—you can even upon occasion create meaningful outcomes in this way. However, are you generating the brightest and best out of each one of your endeavors? When you rely only on execution as the blueprint for your journey, you’re leaving out the most crucial ingredient. As you engage strategic partners to support you in generating the fullest potential from your career, you’re embracing a mindset that magnifies your possibilities. Traveling this path alone is guaranteed to restrict rather than enlarge.

How’s Your Humor Quotient? Without question, none of us leaves this world unscathed. Life is joyous, sorrowful, challenging, and hard. It is difficult imagining anyone realizing a satisfying career without the ability to laugh at oneself. As Alan Simpson, former Senator of Wyoming declares, “Humor is the universal solvent against the abrasive elements of life.” So, when confronting an unexpected, wounding, greet it with a chuckle and optimistic appreciation will make the journey a whole heck of a lot more enjoyable.